Each fall hundreds of students compete in Career Development Events (CDEs) at the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) annual convention. This study assesses trends in placement at National FFA CDE competitions and develops a parameter by which to monitor and compare success rates across states. Additionally, this study reports achievement trends by state and region to evaluate competition equity and discuss implications for diversity in agricultural education and optimizing administrative processes for CDE programming.
Using census data from national FFA archives, we identify states that hold disproportionately high and low accumulations of National FFA CDE placements, first through tenth. Each state receives a raw score and a relative achievement score (RAS). Raw scores are a weighted summation of the total number of competitions won throughout seven year time span this study covers. A relative achievement score (RAS) is calculated for each state by normalizing state placements with respect to its population representation in the FFA organization (proportion of placements/ proportion of national membership).
Within the seven year span of 2009 and 2015, Texas, California, Missouri have the highest raw accumulation of successes at National FFA CDE competitions. When raw accumulations are converted to RAS Virginia, Connecticut, and Missouri have a much higher rate of success than the calculated expected achievement score. Both measures are an indication of advantages and disadvantages in systems of administration for student competitors. This study investigates factors that contribute to achievement in each state such as geographic location, rural population, and agricultural production. South Dakota and Colorado are consistently in the lowest RAS and Raw rankings.
Based on our findings we recommend that CDE schedules mimic that of high scoring states. Findings also denote implications for fostering workforce diversity and ensuring equity in competition between urban and rural students.